In the labyrinth of family dynamics lies a dark underbelly often veiled by the facade of harmony and love. Betrayal Trauma, Family Mobbing, and Family Scapegoating Abuse (FSA) are three interwoven phenomena that thrive in the shadows of familial relationships, leaving deep scars on the psyche of those ensnared within their grasp…
Betrayal is at the heart of being scapegoated. Betrayal is the constant in all the examples shared in this article. When exploring our scapegoating histories we see that our trauma doesn’t just come from the hurtful actions, the cruel words, the painful neglect and humiliations, or the psychological wounds wielded out by family members. Our trauma extends beyond tangible incidents: It permeates our psyches and our physiology…
Abuse of any type can result in the victim experiencing complex trauma and betrayal trauma, which can in turn lead to dissociation….
As we learn more about Complex Trauma (C-PTSD), it becomes increasingly clear that family scapegoating abuse (FSA) can lead to the development of C-PTSD symptoms, which are often misdiagnosed and mislabelled by Mental Health Professionals if and when the FSA adult survivor seeks therapeutic treatment and support.
Few things are more heart-wrenching to me as a Mental Health practitioner than when I see a client being scapegoated, betrayed, and abandoned by their family-of-origin – and even some friends – when divorcing a spouse that engages in covert abuse…